Carrie Mason-Draffen

Carrie Mason-Draffen 5/15/12 Cutting commissions, while legal, kills sales morale

DEAR CARRIE: I work for a major retailer. My normal workweek is 35 hours, and ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 5/8/12 Substitute teaching can limit jobless benefits

DEAR CARRIE: My full-time teaching position was abolished last year at the end of June. ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 5/1/12 Help Wanted: steps to thwart bullying

DEAR CARRIE: What steps can I take to stop a colleague from bullying me? When ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 4/23/12 Help Wanted: Quit over long commute?

DEAR CARRIE: My company is moving about 50 miles from its current location. If I ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 4/17/12 Boss retaliating for workers' comp claim?

DEAR CARRIE: I was on workers' compensation for two months because I hurt my back ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 4/3/12 Help wanted: Doctor's-note rule is legal, but . . .

DEAR CARRIE: My daughter works as a server in a restaurant. The management has changed ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 3/27/12 Help wanted: Are commission pay changes legal?

From time to time Help Wanted focuses on a single topic. Today's subject is commissions. ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 3/20/12 Help wanted: Union can suspend pension

DEAR CARRIE: For 23 years I worked in a hospital as an X-ray technician. I ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 3/14/12 Help wanted: Strong case for promised raise

Can I get a promised raise even though I must leave for a new position ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 3/7/12 Help Wanted: Job or jobless benefits at 77?

If I resign, could I qualify for jobless benefits? I would still seek employment because, ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 2/28/12 Help Wanted: Can boss control unpaid lunchtime?

DEAR CARRIE: I work for a major airline. All part-time and full-time employees get a ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 2/21/12 Help Wanted: Getting a W-2 from missing employer

The company I worked for went out of business and I can't find the owners ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 2/14/12 Help Wanted: How to hunt down unpaid salary

How can I claim this money? About a year ago I discovered three payroll checks ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 2/7/12 Help Wanted: Delaying, not paying wages illegal

I work for a private company. We went without pay for about 10 weeks, and ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 1/31/12 Help Wanted: Jobless benefits, pay credits

DEAR CARRIE: After her standard maternity leave was up, a friend of mine asked her ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 1/24/12 False info in employee files can mean trouble

I work for a major airline that has just imposed a new work rule. If ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 1/16/12 If job ad says 'junior,' it's a pay hint

I saw ads for two “legal junior” secretaries on a job board recently, one requiring ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 1/10/12 Help Wanted: Getting pay for accrued vacation

Is it legal for the company essentially to put up roadblocks to employees using vacation ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 12/19/11 Help Wanted: Retiree may qualify for aid

Extenuating circumstances may allow for unemployment benefits. ... Read more »

Business 12/19/11 Executive Suite: Ernest Gonzalez

Many entrepreneurs dream of building a business successful enough to sell to a larger company. ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 12/13/11 Help Wanted: Social Security benefits explained

From time to time the Help Wanted column focuses on a single topic. Today's subject ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 12/6/11 Help Wanted: How can I find a work-at-home-job?

How do I find out about work-at-home jobs that I might be able to qualify ... Read more »

Business 12/5/11 Enforcing labor laws across Long Island

Irv Miljoner, head of the U.S. Department of Labor Long Island office, enforces federal labor ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 11/22/11 Help Wanted: No-pay 'layoff' may be legal

The legality depends on the employee's duties, not just whether the the employee is salaried. ... Read more »

Carrie Mason-Draffen 11/15/11 Help Wanted: Pensions and jobless benefits

A county bus worker is being terminated. If he takes retirement at 55, can he ... Read more »